Dameon’s first thought was that Grace was right. She said Matt would find an excuse to come over and here he was, unannounced.
Only the expression on Matt’s face was concern and not curiosity.
Dameon reached out his hand for Matt to shake. “Is Grace okay?”
“Can I come in?”
Dameon stood aside. “Please.”
“Grace sent me over here.”
Dameon walked over to the speaker blasting music and turned it off. “What’s going on?”
Matt stopped looking at the space and turned to him. “Grace is fine. Well, physically. Someone accused her of taking a bribe, or offering a bribe, and she was told to leave work.”
What? “That’s ridiculous.”
“We know. She wasn’t fired, but she was told she can’t contact any of her clients. And since you’re a client—”
Bullshit on that. “Where is she?”
“Our parents’. Grace asked me to come over and tell you what’s going on so you wouldn’t worry or think she’s ignoring you.”
No wonder she wasn’t answering his texts. “What is your parents’ address?”
Matt started to smile. He held up a hand. “She’s worried your project will come under scrutiny if you two make contact.”
“Grace worries too much.” Dameon held up three fingers. “Give me three minutes to change and I’ll follow you over.”
Matt nodded. “I’ll drive. Two people that work in the city office with her live on our parents’ street.”
“You’re serious.”
“Grace is—”
“Worried,” Dameon finished for him.
Three minutes later, Dameon sat in Matt’s truck as it rolled down the road.
“Grace would never take a bribe.”
“We all know that. But it sounds like the city is gearing up for a lawsuit. Which is why she’s been put on leave. She said you knew about the guy who is spearheading this. Something about a mobile home park.”
Dameon felt his blood starting to boil. “The guy who scared her the night she lost her phone?”
Matt glanced his way. “Yeah, that guy.”
“She told me he offered her money.”
“That’s what she keeps saying. She’s blaming herself for not officially reporting him.”
“Sounds like the guy is trying to get out of paving the driveway by pointing fingers at other people. The city has to see that.”
Matt turned into a neighborhood and started weaving through the streets. “I’m sure they will, but in the meantime, she has to play by their rules.”
Dameon shook his head. “It would be a lot quicker to just kick the guy’s ass.”
Matt chuckled. “Much as I agree, it would cause more problems than it would solve.”
A short time later, Dameon followed Grace’s brother up the walkway to the parents’ house.
All the lights were on inside and cars were parked in the driveway and on the street.
Matt walked in without knocking.
Dameon skipped over the faces of those he knew and those he didn’t while looking for Grace.
She wasn’t there.
Colin walked up to him, stuck out his hand. “She told Matt not to bring you here.”
Dameon shook his hand. “Where is she?”
“Lying down.”
Parker walked up and gave Dameon a hug. “She’s really upset.”
Colin turned around. “This is our dad, Emmitt, and mom, Nora.”
Dameon shook Emmitt’s hand. “Sir. A pleasure to meet you.”
Emmitt looked at Dameon’s hand speckled with dry paint. “Sorry,” Dameon added. “I was painting.”
For whatever reason, that made Emmitt smile. “Nice to meet you, son. Gracie is gonna be pissed you’re here.”
Yeah, he’d considered that.
Nora was all smiles. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’m fine.”
Matt then introduced the only other person in the room he didn’t know. “This is Erin.”
“A pleasure.”
“Dameon?”
He turned to the sound of Grace’s voice calling his name.
She stood in a hallway, her eyes swollen and bloodshot. An overly large sweatshirt swallowed her whole.
“What are you—”
He didn’t give her time to ask her question. He walked up to her and pulled her into his arms.
Her head fell on his chest and her arms wrapped around him. “I told him not to bring you.”
“I know. But I’m not good at following directions.”
That had her chuckling through her cries.
She squeezed harder.
“Shhh. It’s going to be okay.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Grace sat on the sofa, Dameon at her side, while the others put together a late dinner for everyone. She explained exactly what had happened for the third time since she arrived at her parents’ house. She’d gone directly there after being told to leave the office. One by one, everyone in the family showed up.
“Richard just sat there shaking his head. It’s like he believed Sokolov and not me.”
Dameon squeezed her hand. “It sounds like everyone is protecting their own butts.”